STOCKTON, California — An attempted traffic stop on a car with expired registration is what eventually led to a deadly high-speed chase Wednesday afternoon, according to Stockton Police Department.
It happened shortly after 2 P.M. in Stockton's midtown neighborhood.
Police say San Joaquin County Sheriff's deputies tried to pull over a Chevrolet Impala around Plymouth Road and Michigan Avenue.
The car initially stopped and pulled to the right curb, but police say it then took off east at a high rate of speed on Michigan Avenue.
Ryan Dextraze lives on the street and witnessed the chase.
"They had to be going at least 90 or something, 80, something like that for sure. They were zooming," Dextraze said.
Just a few blocks away, the pursuit came to a deadly end at busy Pershing Avenue and Michigan Avenue when the Impala struck a large tree.
Monica Estrada lives very close to where the crash ended and feared for her family's safety.
"I thought it was going to run into my daughter's room. Instead, he did a sharp turn and, as he did, he then hit the tree," Estrada said.
The sheriffs office wouldn't comment on the case.
Their very detailed pursuit policy takes into account a number of factors, including "Seriousness of the known or reasonably suspected crime and its relationship in community safety."
Estrada says students going home at the time from two area schools makes a pursuit too dangerous.
"I felt the force they used for expired tags was not necessary," she said.
One neighbor was not so critical of the sheriff's office.
She didn't give her name but said it was "unfortunate," and that sheriff's deputies were simply doing their job.
Stonelake Traywick, another neighbor, disagreed saying deputies could have handled the situation better.
"Knowing how busy Pershing is at the time and what facilities are around, the schools, the college. There's mini marts and gas stations," Traywick said.
ABC10 reached out to family members of the driver, identified as Waldric Earvin, but as of this writing, the inquiry has not been returned.
A copy of the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office's pursuit policy can be found in the PDF below on page 78.
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